Page 2 (1/2)
But no I was human, damn it I would not feed froht, a whooshing noise, and fla the alcove, setting the waking vampire ablaze as Maria and her brother stu I could only whisper a silent prayer of thanks that ere near enough to the asped, the nauseating ss, ed As suddenly as the blood lust had coone My sto his body to the ground
Distant screa and souards hadn’t made it out
Oh, fuck a duck
I picked Serena up by her waist and tossed her over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes She didn’t co flae that led to the open desert outside I could smell the sand Twenty yards to the fork, so maybe thirty past that to the outside We were nearly there But closing fast frory for blood
Maria stuled to his knees, trying to get off a blast from the flamethrower Then a pair of varound Fast, they were so fast Serena turned her head, saw hi I didn’t doubtwas in hyperfocus Ito ai in panic, it was hard Luis’s screaer le vicious twist
Another pair of bats, two fe--which was useless Grabbing her ar her ahead of me
"Run!" I screamed, as I fired blessed bullets into the vamps to slow them down It wouldn’t stop theet to the cave entrance Once there, I’d shoot the gas tank with a tracer round The explosion would take out the vamps and, if ere lucky, block the tunnel entrance behind us
Just a fewto stay balanced while carrying Serena I pulled the trigger again and again until the gun clicked empty I was almost to the exit I could see the stars above and sly close now--but they were gaining on us
A bat grabbed atme to stumble and nearly drop Serena I kicked the bat in the face until she let go but that gave the others tier in my ankle holster
Thankfully, I didn’t have to Maria had reached the cave entrance ahead of h there were tears streaun drawn, feet solid She wasn’t ai at me "Go, Graves! Get Serena to safety They won’t follow I swear"
She wavedth that sent botha dozen feet from the tunnel exit I pushed to my feet and screamed, "Maria! Get out! You can still make it" Even as I yelled, the bats leapt toward her Crap
She didn’t go dohen they hit They hung on her, fangs e form One hand braced over the other, she took careful aim and sent a tracer round back into the tunnel I followed the blaze of fire as it flew straight and true, right into the tank of her brother’s flamethrower
I threw myself over Serena to shield her from the blast, but I had to look back The explosion was pretty spectacular, iuards, and a dozen bats into charcoal
Yes, she’d betrayed us, but Maria Ruiz Ortega had found her path to redemption from Paulo and his cartel
2
The explosion attracted the notice of the US authorities They arrived in record time: Border Patrol, DEA, CIA The hole in the desert floor was a popular place for the next few hours I didn’t know any of the agents, but I had a few friends in high places I could call on to convince the guys on-site that I was trustworthy and on the side of the angels It also helped that I had my current passport, concealed carry pere hidden in zippered pockets sewn into s Modesty be daet to my IDs once I was in custody and in a clean, well-ventilated holding cell
The paperwork helped more than the friends, I think